Sky Sox’s Blackmon eyes return to majors

His middle name is Cobb and he hails from Georgia, but Colorado Springs outfielder Charlie Blackmon wasn't named after baseball legend Ty Cobb, "The Georgia Peach."

"I'd like to think so, but It's actually for my grandfather," Blackmon said. "It's a family name."

Blackmon has made a name for himself in the Colorado Rockies organization.

Colorado's second-round draft pick in 2008 out of Georgia Tech, Blackmon steadily scaled the ranks of the minors before breaking through last year in his first foray in Triple A - batting .337 with 10 home runs, 49 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 58 games for the Sky Sox.

The Rockies rewarded Blackmon with his first call-up to the majors June 7, and he hit .255 with a homer, eight RBIs and five steals in 27 games.

"It was nice to go up there and have a little bit of success," he said. "I didn't kill it or anything, but it's nice to know I can succeed there."

Blackmon belted his first major league home run on July 1 - his 25th birthday - a pinch-hit solo shot in the eighth inning off Kansas City closer Joakim Soria.

"That was probably one of the greatest days of my life to this point," he said. "I don't think I'll ever forget that one. It was unbelievable."

Less than a week later, Blackmon's season came to an abrupt end when he fractured his left foot running the bases in his hometown of Atlanta.

A healthy Blackmon entered spring training intent on competing for a roster spot with Eric Young Jr. and Tyler Colvin as the Rockies' fourth outfielder. But he suffered a turf toe injury on March 21 and started the season on the disabled list.

"I was hoping to make the team - not to say I would've made it had I been healthy - but that definitely took me out of the running to start the season," he said.

After seeing limited action in extended spring training, Blackmon was activated from the DL on April 14 and is batting .238 (10-for-42) with a homer and five RBIs in 11 games for Colorado Springs (12-8), which claimed an 11-6 victory over Las Vegas (6-14) on Tuesday night at Cashman Field.

"I only played in a few games before I got (to Triple A), and it showed a little in my first couple weeks," he said.

Playing center field for the Sky Sox, Blackmon heated up in Las Vegas, going 5-for-13 with a three-run homer, a triple, a double and six runs.

"I feel a little bit better here in Vegas than I did at home," he said. "I'm not a big fan of being cold, so the heat here helps me feel like I'm playing real baseball.

"I'm just trying to get used to playing every day. I didn't get to do that a whole lot in spring training."

On Tuesday, the 6-foot-3-inch, left-handed hitter singled, stole second and scored in the third inning, and finished 1-for-4.

"He's just now starting to get into a groove," Sky Sox manager Stu Cole said. "If he can get back to the form he was playing last year before he got called up, he's going to be just fine."

Twice drafted as a pitcher, Blackmon was converted to an outfielder at Georgia Tech, where he hit .396 and stole 25 bases from the leadoff spot in his only season with the Yellow Jackets in 2008.

"Obviously that was a good decision, because I'm sure I wouldn't be here as a pitcher," he said.

■ NOTE - 51s left fielder Travis Snider singled in the first inning to extend his season-opening hitting streak to 18 games.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.